Black Sea

Black Sea Latest News

US-Russia Talks in Saudi Arabia on Ukraine War and Black Sea Ceasefire

Why in the News?

• US and Russian officials are engaged in diplomatic talks in Saudi Arabia to advance a broader ceasefire in Ukraine and negotiate a Black Sea maritime ceasefire.
• US President Donald Trump has intensified efforts to broker peace, holding prior discussions with Ukrainian officials in Riyadh.
• The Black Sea ceasefire agreement aims to restore free navigation for shipping, although it has not been a major military flashpoint in recent months.
• The talks are taking place amid continued Russian missile strikes on Ukraine, including a recent attack on Sumy that injured 65 people, including 14 children.

About the Black Sea

• Location: A large inland sea situated at the southeastern extremity of Europe.
• Type: One of the marginal seas of the Atlantic Ocean.
• Area: Covers approximately 436,000 square kilometers (168,000 square miles).
• Bordering regions:
  • West: Balkan Peninsula (Southeastern Europe).
  • East: Caucasus Mountains.
  • North: East European Plains (Russia & Ukraine).
  • South: Anatolia (Turkey, Western Asia).
• Bordering countries:
  • Russia and Ukraine (North).
  • Turkey (South).
  • Bulgaria (West).
  • Georgia (East).
  • Romania also has access to the Black Sea.
• Key features:
  • The Crimean Peninsula extends into the Black Sea from the north.
  • Russia has the longest coastline (2,300 km), followed by Turkey (1,329 km) and Ukraine (1,282 km).
  • It connects to the Aegean Sea (Mediterranean) via the Bosporus Strait, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles Strait.
  • The Kerch Strait links it to the Sea of Azov.
  • The Black Sea has lower salinity than the world’s oceans due to isolation from the Mediterranean.
  • Major rivers flowing into it include the Danube, Dnieper, Southern Bug, Rioni, and Dniester.

Environmental and Strategic Importance of the Black Sea

• World’s Largest Meromictic Basin: The movement of water between upper and lower layers is rare, leading to unique ecological conditions.
• Anoxic zones: One of the largest anoxic basins, meaning low dissolved oxygen in deeper layers, affecting marine biodiversity.
• Strategic Geopolitical Importance:
  • Crucial for global trade, particularly for Russia and Ukraine’s grain and energy exports.
  • NATO and Russia frequently conduct naval operations in the region.
  • Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is stationed in Sevastopol, Crimea, making the region highly militarized.
  • Key Islands: Snake Island (Ukraine); Giresun Island (Turkey); St. Ivan Island (Bulgaria).

Black Sea FAQs

Q1. Where is the Black Sea located?

Ans. The Black Sea is located between Eastern Europe and Western Asia, bordered by six countries: Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia.

Q2. Why is the Black Sea geopolitically significant?

Ans. The Black Sea is strategically important due to its role as a major trade route, energy transit hub, and military interest zone for regional and global powers like Russia, NATO, and the EU.

Q3. What is the Montreux Convention, and how does it relate to the Black Sea?

Ans. The Montreux Convention (1936) regulates the passage of naval ships through the Bosporus and Dardanelles Straits. It grants Turkey control over the straits and limits the naval presence of non-Black Sea countries.

Source: IE